Tape storage processing

1. A tape storage processing apparatus comprising: a tape storage interface having a tape read device to read data blocks from a plurality of duplicate data areas on a tape storage medium; a host interface to receive a request to read a data block from the tape storage medium; and a tape storage manager to determine a current position of the read device relative to the plurality of duplicate data areas and to read the requested data block from a duplicate data area from among the plurality of duplicate data areas that is nearest the current position of the read device.

2. The tape storage processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tape storage medium is detachable from the tape storage processing apparatus.

3. The tape storage, processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the host interface is configured to receive a request to write a data block to the tape storage medium and the tape storage manager is configured to write the data block to each of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

4. The tape storage processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the host interface is configured to receive a request to write a data block to a particular one of the plurality of duplicate data areas and the tape storage manager is configured to write the data block to the particular one of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

5. The tape storage processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein if the requested data block is not recoverable from the duplicate data area that is nearest the current position of the read device, then the storage manager is configured to read the requested data block from the next nearest duplicate data area.

6. The tape storage processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the host interface is configured to present to a host a view of the tape storage medium by presenting a single duplicate data area view of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

7. The tape storage processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the host interface is configured to present to a host a view of the tape storage medium by presenting a view of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

8. A method of processing tape storage, the method comprising: determining a current position of a read device to read a data block from a tape storage medium having a plurality of duplicate data areas; receiving a request to read a data block from the tape storage medium; and reading the requested data block from a duplicate data area from among the plurality of duplicate data areas that is nearest the current position of the read device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving from a host a request to write a data block to the tape storage medium and writing the data block to each of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving a request to write a data block to a particular one of the plurality of duplicate data areas and writing the data block to the particular one of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein if the requested data block is not recoverable from the duplicate data area that is nearest the current position of the read device, further comprising reading the requested data block from the next nearest duplicate data area.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising presenting to a host a view of the tape storage medium by presenting a single duplicate data area view of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising presenting to a host a view of the tape storage medium by presenting a view of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

14. A computer readable medium comprising code that if executed causes a processor to: determine a current position of a read device to read a data block from a tape storage medium having a plurality of duplicate data areas; receive a request to read a data block from the tape storage medium; and read the requested data block from a duplicate data area from among the plurality of duplicate data areas that is nearest the current position of the read device.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 further comprising code that if executed causes a processor to: receive from a host a request to write a data block to the tape storage medium and write the data block to the plurality of duplicate data areas.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14 further comprising code that if executed causes a processor to: receive a request to write a data block to a particular one of the plurality of duplicate data areas and write the data block to the particular one of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14 further comprising code that if executed causes a processor to: if the requested data block is not recoverable from the duplicate data area that is nearest the current position of the read device, read the requested data block from the next nearest duplicate data area.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14 further comprising code that if executed causes a processor to: present to a host a view of the tape storage medium by presenting a single duplicate data area view of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 14 further comprising code that if executed causes a processor to: present to a host a view of the tape storage medium by presenting a view of the plurality of duplicate data areas.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 14 further comprising code that if executed causes a processor to: write a data block to the plurality of duplicate data areas in a serpentine manner.